Foldable crate



FOLDABLE CRATE Atto'mey B. HUGGINS` FOLDABLE CRATE Dec. 11, 1934.

Filed Sept. 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Inventor wen..

Attomey Patented Dec. 11, 1934 UNITED `'STATES PATENroFl-ICE This invention relates to that class'of struc-r tures found in a special sub-division of the prior art devoted to collapsible boxes and so-called folding and knock-down crates for the accommodation and transportation of berry boxes and the like.

Being generally familiar with this particular line of endeavor and having studied the types of crates nowr offered to the trade, I have discovered noteworthy defects in the construction such as subjects these crates to undue and limited utility. It has been observed that insecurity and lack of strength found in present-day types of foldable crates gives rise to complaints and disapprovement by many users, and this is to be expected when one takes into consideration the rough handling by inconsiderate employees. The type of crates to which I allude are those wherein the side and end walls are hingedly connected together by means capable of allowing said parts tol be collapsed into compact form for shipment and subsequent expeditious erection.

Striving for economy of manufacture and quantity output, manufacturers of crates of this type have resorted to the use of relatively fragile hinge constructions. Without attempting to depart from the realm of simplicity and economy, I have discovered the need for a new type hinge arrangement and have accomplished this by the adoption and-use of the particular means to be hereinafter described. Being ingenious and somewhat of van innovation, the improved'hinge and cover-retaining means which I have perfected, will be the principal subject of the following description.

In reducing the invention to practice, I have found it expedient and practicablel to resort to the adoption and use of a two-part assemblage wherein one part is inthe nature of a staple which serves as-a hinge or joining device vbetween the walls of the frame,- the other part being in the nature of Ya disk having a plurality of function to be hereinafter described in detail.

Other features and' advantages will become more readily yapparent from the followingdescription and drawings.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same: Fig. 1 isa top plan View of a crate constructed in accordance "with my ideas and embodying the unique hinge fand cover` retention means.

Fig. v.53 is a side elevational view ofthe arrangement depicted in Fig. 1.

`Fig. Slis a fragmentary viewv takenon an enlarged scale showing the merits and construction of the improved means, the section being on the line 3 3 of'Fig. 1; u Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan View showingin 6T detail the double-acting disk elements forming an essential feature of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the collapsible orframe portion of the crate comprises a,y pair of spaced parallel longitudinal side walls 5 joined together throughy the instrumentality of transverse end walls 6. These maybe of customary slat construction. The meeting ends of the respective walls 5 and 6 are hingedly connected together and 'hinges and retaining means in the present drawings constitute the 4novelty hereinafter claimed. t It is to be pointed out however, that in this type of crate, the parts 5 and 6 are simply vjoined together by hinge means which allows them to be folded into compact relation. This tends to permit the top and'bo'ttom to be inserted as a means for maintaining the parts 5 and yf5V in box-forming relationship. The bottom and top will Vbe substantially identical or approxi-k mately soin construction. In the drawings, I have simply shown the top or lid and this is designated by thenumeral 7 and comprisesslats yor the 4like joined ktogether by transverse cleats 8 having extendedend portions 9 and outwardly beyond the cleats are the customary cross pieces 10 which serve essentiallyfas reinforcing vmembers. It is understood. however, that it is not the crate construction but rather the hinge construction which forms 'the principal novelty. Beforer introducing the hinge and retaining means,` I would point out that the numerals 11 and 12 designate longitudinal yand transverse rrails forming integral` parts of the side and end walls. In the present arrangement, the adjacent ends of the rails 11 and 12 are formed with holes to accommodate the hinge and connecting means. Inasmuch as the hinge and retaining means is the same at each corner as well as at the top and bottom of the complete crate, it isbelieved sufficient to describe a single means,that is the complete unit which is utilized as a device to serve as connecting and hinge vmeans as well as retaining means for the cover 7. I direct attention therefore to 4 wherein it will be observed 50 that the means embodies a` disk 13 of appropriate material and proportions. In accordance with the present inventive conception, this disk is provided witha series of "apertures or holes 14:. In practice, I may provide. either a single pair of 55` holes or four holes arranged at equidistant circumferentially spaced points. These holes are adapted to register with the bores or passages which are formed in the adjacent ends of the rails 11 and 12. The latter holes are intended to accommodate the arm portions 15 of the staple 16. This is a wire staple relatively small and of appropriate gauge metal. By registering a pair of the staple openings 14 with the bores in the rails, it is evident that the arms of the staple can be dropped down through these registering passages to effect a hinge joint and connection between the rails. This allows the bight portion 17 to rest on the disk and permits the terminals or the free ends of the arms 15 to be bent laterallyA or clinched as at 18 for secure maintenance. It follows therefore that the staple actually straddles the adjacent bored ends of the rails to join these together hingedly in an obvious man The disk, however, is so arranged that it ner. serves as a wear plate or washer for the bight 17 and the adjacent portions of the arms 15. Then too, the disk is of sufficient diameter as to extend beyond the corner, that is, inwardly beyond the corner of the crate when it is set up as shown in Fig. 1 so as to function as a keeper for the cover. Or stated otherwise, the corner portions of the cover can be placed underneath the projecting portions of the various disks so as to permit the cover-to be securely held in place through the instrumentality of these disks.

ByA using a disk, it has a twofold purpose, that is, it'serves as a washer as well as a keeper or retaining element. Not only this, the disk does not project outwardly beyond the edges of the rails to interfere with the safe handling of the crate as a whole. Moreover, the marginal edge formation of the disks facilitates placement of the corner portions of the crate cover in a position to be securely held in place. I-Ieretofore, similar hinge arrangements have been utilized for somewhat the same purposes, but none are so unique and practicable as the arrangement just described.

By way of contrast and comparison with similar prior art devices it will be observed that this structure provides a collapsible crate wherein the crate when folded assumes a position so that the inner ends of the two side walls overlap, whereas the end walls overlap the remaining portions of the side walls. This is known in the eld as a jack-knife type of foldable crate as distinguished from the more compact arrangement disclosed in the J. J. Dahlstrom folding crate depicted in Patent 1,120,693. Or stated otherwise my crate when folded occupies the more rigid folded arrangement disclosed in the O. P. Wilson et al. Patent 1,869,292. The arrangement which I have employed, however, retains all of the ilexible features of Dahlstrom, and provides the rigidity of O. P. Wilson et al. and, therefore, is characterized by an arrangement which transcends in importance and practicability these and similar prior art structures which renders it susceptible of unqualified endorsement by the trade.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain aV clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice,V if desired.

I claim:

1. In a knock-down crate, a collapsible crate frame embodying spaced parallel side walls and the complemental end walls interposed between the end portions of said side walls, all of said walls being provided with reinforcing rails whose end portions are adapted to come together in abutting relationship when the crate is set up for use, and a plurality of duplicate hinge forming cover retaining units, there being a single unit for each corner portion of the frame structure, and said unit embodying a U-shaped wire staple arranged to bridge the space between the adjacent abutting ends of the complemental rails, said rails having bored passages and the arm portions o fthe staple extending through and beyond said passages with the free ends clinched againstJ the underside of the rail-ends, the length of the bight portion ofthe staple being such as to be confined within the spaces defined by the width of said rails, and a cover retaining clip attached to said staple, said clip being adapted to project into the frame in a manner to overlie the cover and serve as a keeper therefor.

2. In a knock-down berry box crate, a foldable crate frame embodying spaced parallel side walls and complementa-l end walls, all of said walls being provided with horizontal reinforcing rails Whose end portions are adapted to come together in right angular abutting relationship when the crate is set up for use, and a plurality of duplicate hinge forming cover retaining units, there being a single unit for each corner portion of the frame, and said unit embodying a U-shaped wire staple having its bight portion arranged to bridge the space between the adjacent abutting ends of the complemental rails, said rails having bored passages and the arm portions of the staple eX- tending through and beyond said passages with the free ends clinched against the underside of the rail-ends, the length of the bight portion of the staple being such as to be conned within the spaces defined by the width of said rails and serving primarily as a comparatively rigid hinge connection between the rail-ends, said unit also including a wear plate having apertures through which the arms of the staple pass with the bight portion resting in contact with the underlying segmental portion of the plate allowing said plate to serve as a wear resisting and reinforcing member.

3. In a knock-down crate construction of the class described, a longitudinal side wall, a conipanion transverse end wall disposed at right angles thereto and in abutting relation therewith, a plate resting on the upper edges of the corner forming portions of said walls, said corner portions of the wall being formed with staple holes, and said plate having staple openings in registry therewith, a staple having its bight portion superimposed upon said plate and its arm portions extending through the openings in the plate and holes in said walls and secured in place, and said plate having a predetermined marginal portion thereof projecting inwardly beyond the walls to serve as a reinforcing member, as a wear plate, and as a keeper for the corner portion of a complemental crate top and/or bottom as the case may be.

4. In a knock-down crate construction of the class described, a substantially rectangular foldable crate frame embodying spaced parallel side walls and companion end walls interposed between the end portions of said side Walls, and a plurality of independent hinge forming and cover retaining devices cooperable with the abutting ends of said walls, said walls including horizontal rails having their adjacent portions arranged in abutting relation and formed with staple holes, each device including an apertured disk resting upon the upper faces of said rails, the apertures o-f the disk being registerable with the staple holes, and a complemental staple associated with the disk, said staple being confined Within the limits of the perimeter of the disk, having its bight portion superimposed upon and underlying rsegmental section of the disk and its arm portions extending through the apertures and aforementioned staple holes, the free ends of the arms being clinched against adjacent surfaces of the lrails to hold the device in position in a manner so that a limited segmental portion of the disk projects inwardly into the crate frame to serve as a keeper for an adjacent corner portion of the crate lid or cover.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a twopart fixture designed to serve as a foldablevcrate frame hinge as well as a cover retaining device, said fixture comprising a metal disk of a predetermined diameter provided with a series of staple apertures arranged at equidistant circumferentially spaced points, said apertures being selectively usable in pairs and being adapted for selective alignment with staple openings in adjacent portions of the crate frame, and a relatively small hinge forming staple, said staple being of U-shaped lconstruction and the arms thereof being adapted to: extend selectively through a predetermined pair of said apertures so that the bight portion rests upon the disk, Said disk serving as a wear and end thrust plate for the staple, as a brace for the arms ofthe staple, a reinforcing member for the complemental corner adjacent portion of the crate frame, and a predetermined sector of the disk serving, when in use, as a keeper for an adjacent corner portion of a lid or closure for the crate frame. f

6, In a knock-down berry box crate construction of the class described, a substantially rectangular foldable crate frame embodying spaced parallel side walls and companion end walls interposed between the end portions of said side walls, and a plurality of independent hinge forming and cover retaining devices cooperable with the abutting ends of said walls at the corner portions of the crate frame, said Walls being provided on their upper and lower portions with horizontal rails having the adjacent end portions arranged in separable abutting relation and formed at predetermined points spaced inwardly from said ends with bored holes, each device including an apertured disk resting upon the adjacent faces of the complemental rail-ends, the apertures of the disk being aligned with the adjacent holes, and a double prong disk fastener and hinge forming element, the prongs thereof passing through predetermined apertures in the disk and through said holes, the free ends of the prongs being secured to the rails, whereby to hingedly connect the walls in assembled foldable relationship, and to fasten the disk down against the underlying surfaces of the rails so that a segmental portion of the disks rests in a shiftable position on said rails, with the diametrically opposed segmental portion projecting into the frame to serve as a'keeper.

7. In a folding crate structure, a collapsible vrectangular frame having a plurality of sides yduring the folding operation, a portion of said plate projecting inwardly beyond the inner surfaces of said sides to function as a crate closure retainer.

8. In a folding crate structure, a collapsible rectangular frame having a plurality of sides with the ends of said sides arranged in right angular foldable corner-forming relationship, a connecting and hinge-forming staple having one leg rotatably anchored in the end portion of one side and the other leg fastened in the end portion of the adjacent side in a manner so that the bight portion of the staple is limited to a position to bridge across the existing gap in the line of contact of said ends, and a corner-` reinforcing and cover-retaining plate mounted for limited shifting movement on the aforesaid end portions of said sides within the vicinity of said staple, whereby to keep the sides in line during the folding operation, and said plate extending inwardly beyond the adjacent surfaces of the sides to serve as a keeper for an underlying corner portion of a crate cover.

BEMIS HUGGINS.

Cil 

